economy going off the fiscal cliff. >> i find it really hard to sit and listen to people come up now and wring their hands and talk about gee whiz. i hope we can get something done on the last day. we put two people together basically to resolve this. >> the two people were senate republican lea leader mitch mcconnell and joe biden who worked the phones after talks between mcconnell and harry reid stalled. >> discussions continue today on plan to affect the middle class families from the tax increase tomorrow. there are a number of issues in which the two sides are still apart. negotiations are continuing as i speak. >> the agreement would set the threshold for extending the bush tax cuts at $400,000 for individuals and $450,000 for families. i would set the tax rate for upper income people at 39.6%. the rate under president clinton. the states would be taxed at 40% above $5 million for individuals and $10 million for a married couple. unemployment benefits would be extented a year, as with the medicare doc fix. it would permanently fix the a terptive minimum tax. a big concern for m